by Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 22, 2023) – Brian Brown emerged victorious on 3M Night at Knoxville Raceway Saturday. The Grain Valley, Missouri driver’s win was his fifth of the year at Knoxville, as his momentum is carrying towards some important August events at the “Sprint Car Capital of the World.” The win was the 65th in his career at Knoxville (second all-time) and was worth $5,000. Aaron Reutzel was equally as impressive in the 360 feature, winning his fourth of the season here in that class and for the eighth time in his career. Kade Higday picked up his seventh career victory in the Pro Sprints class.
The 20-lap 410 feature started awkwardly when both front row starter, Dusty Zomer (throttle linkage) and Ayrton Gennetten could not start the event. Then Justin Henderson spun before a lap could be completed, while Chris Martin hit the wall hard and had to replace a tire. Brandon Wimmer also had to make a tire change. All those cars restarted.
Brown inherited a front row starting spot, and wasted no time getting out front ahead of Garet Williamson, Scott Bogucki, Aaron Reutzel and Austin McCarl. On lap two, Reutzel snared third from Bogucki. McCarl followed him into fourth a lap later.
Brown entered lapped traffic on the seventh circuit and began building his advantage. Battles raged late in the going behind him. Reutzel passed Williamson in heavy lapped traffic with four to go, while McCarl did the same to move up to third a lap later. While Brown was gone, McCarl reeled in Reutzel and snared second on the low side of turn four coming for the white flag.
Following Brown, McCarl and Reutzel, were Williamson and Bogucki, in his first night in the Liebig #10. Tasker Phillips, Davey Heskin, Buddy Kofoid, hard-charger Chase Randall and Lynton Jeffrey rounded out the top ten. Lachlan McHugh set quick time over the 32-car field, while Ryan Timms, Chris Martin, Kofoid and Sawyer Phillips won heats. Henderson claimed the B main.
“We struggled all night long honestly,” said Brown in Victory Lane. “This is a different car than we’ve had all year here. This was a car we won the Outlaw show with last year and then I crashed at the Capitani Classic. I feel like it really wasn’t right at the Nationals. I chose to bring this one, and after the heat race (finishing sixth) I was thinking it wasn’t a bad decision. Our team never quits though. If you give my team enough opportunities, it’s going to be good.”
Reutzel shot from row two to lead pole-sitter Jamie Ball by a narrow margin completing the first of eighteen laps in the 360 main event. Chase Randall was third, followed by Justin Henderson and Cam Martin. Garet Williamson moved into the top five by lap three before the fourth running Henderson went up in smoke on lap five and retired.
Reutzel hit lapped traffic on the eighth circuit, but Scott Bogucki, who was running fifth, came to a stop with a flat right rear tire. The restart saw Reutzel leading Ball, Randall, Williamson and Martin. Randall quickly took second from Ball, while Reutzel advanced his lead the second half of the race.
Randall chased Reutzel to the line, ahead of Willamson, who nabbed third with four to go, Ball and Davey Heskin. Tasker Phillips, Ryan Timms, Cam Martin, Brooke Tatnell and hard-charger Ryan Giles completed the top ten. Fifty cars were separated into two groups, with Martin and Reutzel setting quick time in their flights. Clint Garner, Henderson, Timms and Calvin Landis won heats. Riley Goodno and Giles claimed the two B mains. Grae Anderson took a tumble in his heat race, but was uninjured.
“Our car has been really good with a 360,” said Reutzel afterwards. “We’re getting there with the 410, but for whatever reason, these cars really like the 360’s. This motor is Don Long’s (Moyle) motor that we won the 360 Nationals with last year. I don’t know that it’s been run since then. To come out two nights before the 360 Nationals and blow the dusty off her…it’s just like I remember.”
Mike Johnston led the 15-lap Pro Sprints feature early ahead of Kade Higday, Matt Allen, Mike Mayberry and Bandon Worthington. Jeff Wilke quickly moved into the top five. Johnston set a good pace, but Higday slowly reeled him in and used his characteristic high groove to make up ground on the leader.
On lap nine, Higday made his winning pass high in turn two. Matthew Stelzer started in row four, but was making up ground late. He advanced to fifth on lap seven, fourth with six to go, and finished third behind Higday and Johnston with a late passe of Groenendyk. Mayberry passed Groenendyk in the last corner for fourth. Allen was sixth, ahead of Worthington, Casey Friedrichsen, Ryan Navratil, AJ Johnson and Josh Jones. Matt Allen set quick time, while Stelzer and Wilke won heats.
“This has been a blast,” said Higday afterwards.
Join us Saturday, July 29 for Weiler Night featuring the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions! The 360 Sprint Class will also be in action in their last test before the Xtream Powered by Mediacom Knoxville 360 Nationals Presented by Great Southern Bank! For more information on the Knoxville Raceway, visit us online at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 25, Lachlan McHugh, Gold Coast, QLD, Aust. (5), 15.880; 2. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (23), 15.967; 3. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (13), 16.159; 4. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (30), 16.189; 5. 24W, Garet Williamson, Columbia, MO (15), 16.244; 6. 10, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (22), 16.266; 7. 2, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (24), 16.272; 8. 2M, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (18), 16.286; 9. 8, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (14), 16.306; 10. 3J, Dusty Zomer, Sioux Falls, SD (11), 16.312; 11. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (4), 16.332; 12. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (16), 16.373; 13. 2KS, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (25), 16.408; 14. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (21), 16.428; 15. 83JR, Buddy Kofoid, Penngrove, CA (10), 16.443; 16. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (26), 16.451; 17. 7W, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (1), 16.467; 18. 18T, Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR (17), 16.471; 19. 12X, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO (28), 16.492; 20. 1, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (9), 16.500; 21. 5T, Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, OK (19), 16.509; 22. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (7), 16.520; 23. 6B, Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN (29), 16.547; 24. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (27), 16.551; 25. 16, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (20), 16.641; 26. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (3), 16.811; 27. 15JR, Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA (6), 17.199; 28. 15, Jack Potter, Kansas City, MO (31), 17.436; 29. 6X, Frank Rodgers III, Lucas, IA (32), 17.561; 30. 105, Cody Ihlen, Pipestone, MN (8), 17.565; 31. G5, Gage Pulkrabek, East Grand Forks, MN (12), 18.120; 32. 9H, Landon Hansen, Newton, IA (2), 18.879
Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:19.8: 1. Ryan Timms (1); 2. Aaron Reutzel (4); 3. Lachlan McHugh (6); 4. Chase Randall (3); 5. Brooke Tatnell (7); 6. Garet Williamson (5); 7. Dustin Selvage (2); 8. Frank Rodgers III (8)
Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:21.1: 1. Chris Martin (1); 2. Dusty Zomer (4); 3. Scott Bogucki (5); 4. Tanner Holmes (2); 5. Terry McCarl (3); 6. Brian Brown (6); 7. Joe Simbro (7); 8. Cody Ihlen (8)
Heat three (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Buddy Kofoid (3); 2. Brandon Wimmer (1); 3. Austin McCarl (6); 4. Lynton Jeffrey (5); 5. Riley Goodno (4); 6. Ayrton Gennetten (2); 7. Cole Mincer (7); 8. Gage Pulkrabek (8)
Heat four (started), 8 Laps, 2:23.0: 1. Sawyer Phillips (3); 2. Tasker Phillips (6); 3. AJ Moeller (1); 4. Justin Henderson (2); 5. Davey Heskin (5); 6. Jamie Ball (4); 7. Jack Potter (7); 8. Landon Hansen (8)
B main (started), 12 Laps, 3:38.1: 1. Justin Henderson (3); 2. Ayrton Gennetten (2); 3. Brooke Tatnell (5); 4. Dustin Selvage (1) / 5. AJ Moeller (4); 6. Joe Simbro (6); 7. Cole Mincer (7); 8. Gage Pulkrabek (11); 9. Frank Rodgers III (9); 10. Jack Potter (8); 11. Landon Hansen (12); 12. Cody Ihlen (10)6
A main (started), 20 Laps, 6:00.6: 1. Brian Brown (2); 2. Austin McCarl (4); 3. Aaron Reutzel (3); 4. Garet Williamson (1); 5. Scott Bogucki (5); 6. Tasker Phillips (7); 7. Davey Heskin (8); 8. Buddy Kofoid (11); 9. Chase Randall (15); 10. Lynton Jeffrey (9); 11. Lachlan McHugh (6); 12. Ryan Timms (12); 13. Riley Goodno (13); 14. Terry McCarl (16); 15. Sawyer Phillips (10); 16. Brooke Tatnell (22); 17. Dustin Selvage (20); 18. Justin Henderson (21); 19. Jamie Ball (17); 20. Chris Martin (14); 21. Tanner Holmes (18); 22. Brandon Wimmer (19); 23. Joe Simbro (23, alt.) DNS – Dusty Zomer, Ayrton Gennetten, AJ Moeller. Lap Leader: Brown 1-20. Hard-charger: Randall.
360 Results
Time Trials Group 1 (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 4, Cam Martin, Ankeny, IA (1), 16.284; 2. 83H, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (23), 16.413; 3. 99, Tony Rost, Omaha, NE (3), 16.523; 4. 21, Gunner Ramey, Sedalia, MO (5), 16.579; 5. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (6), 16.586; 6. 9, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (14), 16.610; 7. 98P, Miles Paulus, Marshall, MO (10), 16.619; 8. 2M, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (21), 16.649; 9. 18, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE (9), 16.687; 10. 8H, Jacob Hughes, Hartford, SD (7), 16.713; 11. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (11), 16.720; 12. 17, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA (12), 16.728; 13. 87J, Jace Park, Overland Park, KS (15), 16.853; 14. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (24), 16.887; 15. 8M, Kade Morton, Coweta, OK (25), 16.922; 16. 1E, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (8), 16.932; 17. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO (4), 16.948; 18. 75AU, Tyler Blank, California, MO (18), 17.040; 19. 76, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (22), 17.093; 20. 4G, Cole Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (19), 17.254; 21. 4C, Tuesday Calderwood, Goodyear, AZ (20), 17.389; 22. 2B, Brett Becker, Odessa, TX (17), 17.596; 23. 41D, Dan Henning, Columbia, IA (13), 17.782; 24. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (16), 17.868; 25. 5D, Grae Anderson, Des Moines, IA (2), 18.029
Time Trials Group 2 (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 8, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (20), 16.546; 2. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (11), 16.598; 3. 24W, Garet Williamson, Columbia, MO (21), 16.782; 4. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA (8), 16.795; 5. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (1), 16.863; 6. 14T, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aus (15), 16.887; 7. 5M, Collin Moyle, Knoxville, IA (3), 16.904; 8. 7M, Chance Morton, Coweta, OK (7), 16.927; 9. 84, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (19), 16.940; 10. 86, Timothy Smith, Rocheport, MO (9), 16.951; 11. 5T, Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, OK (12), 17.002; 12. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (22), 17.025; 13. 9G, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (14), 17.030; 14. 2C, Wayne Johnson, Tuttle, OK (24), 17.070; 15. 6, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (10), 17.080; 16. 6A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA (2), 17.094; 17. 7A, Jack Anderson, Newton, IA (18), 17.171; 18. 83, Austin Miller, Lacona, IA (13), 17.268; 19. 55B, Chase Brown, Yutan, NE (6), 17.308; 20. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (17), 17.507; 21. B29, JJ Beaver, Knoxville, IA (4), 17.692; 22. 14, Aidan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (23), 17.852; 23. 17N, Nathan Anderson, Newton, IA (16), 19.638; 24. G5, Gage Pulkrabek, East Grand Forks, MN (5), 18.108; 25. 105, Cody Ihlen, Pipestone, MN (25), 18.037
Heat one (started), 7 Laps, NT: 1. Clint Garner (1); 2. Ryan Roberts (2); 3. Tasker Phillips (4); 4. Cam Martin (6); 5. Miles Paulus (3); 6. Jace Park (7); 7. Tony Rost (5); 8. Nathan Mills (10); 9. Kade Morton (8); 10. Ben Brown (9); 11. Tuesday Calderwood (11); 12. Dan Henning (12); 13. Grae Anderson (13)
Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:03.1: 1. Justin Henderson (6); 2. Chase Randall (4); 3. Davey Heskin (3); 4. Tyler Groenendyk (1); 5. Gunner Ramey (5); 6. Josh Higday (8); 7. Riley Goodno (7); 8. Tyler Blank (9); 9. Jacob Hughes (2); 10. Cole Garner (10); 11. Jack Anderson (0); 12. Brett Becker (11)
Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:04.1: 1. Ryan Timms (1); 2. Scott Bogucki (2); 3. Aaron Reutzel (6); 4. Garet Williamson (5); 5. Ryan Leavitt (4); 6. Dustin Selvage (8); 7. Collin Moyle (3); 8. Ryan Giles (7); 9. Jack Anderson (9); 10. Chase Brown (10); 11. JJ Beaver (11); 12. Cody Ihlen (13); 13. Nathan Anderson (12)
Heat four (started), 7 Laps, NT: 1. Calvin Landis (1); 2. Brooke Tatnell (4); 3. Jamie Ball (6); 4. Chance Morton (3); 5. Wayne Johnson (7); 6. Timothy Smith (2); 7. Kelby Watt (5); 8. Gage Pulkrabek (12); 9. Austin Miller (9); 10. Aidan Zoutte (11); 11. Alan Zoutte (10); 12. Alex Vande Voort (8)
B main one (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Riley Goodno (4); 2. Tyler Groenendyk (2) / 3. Josh Higday (6); 4. Jace Park (3); 5. Cole Garner (10); 6. Jacob Hughes (1); 7. Ben Brown (7); 8. Kade Morton (5); 9. Tuesday Calderwood (11); 10. Dan Henning (13); 11. John Anderson (12); 12. Nathan Mills (9); 13. Tyler Blank (8) DNS – Brent Becker, Grae Anderson
B main two (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Ryan Giles (3); 2. Wayne Johnson (4) / 3. Dustin Selvage (5); 4. Collin Moyle (1); 5. Jack Anderson (7); 6. Timothy Smith (2); 7. Alex Vande Voort (6); 8. Chase Brown (9); 9. Gage Pulkrabek (14); 10. Austin Miller (8); 11. JJ Beaver (11); 12. Alan Zoutte (10); 13. Cody Ihlen (15); 14. Aidan Zoutte (12); 15. Nathan Anderson (13)
A main (started), 18 Laps, NT: 1. Aaron Reutzel (3); 2. Chase Randall (5); 3. Garet Williamson (6); 4. Jamie Ball (1); 5. Davey Heskin (13); 6. Tasker Phillips (7); 7. Ryan Timms (14); 8. Cam Martin (2); 9. Brooke Tatnell (8); 10. Ryan Giles (22); 11. Kelby Watt (20); 12. Gunner Ramey (9); 13. Chance Morton (18); 14. Clint Garner (15); 15. Ryan Leavitt (12); 16. Miles Paulus (19); 17. Riley Goodno (21); 18. Ryan Roberts (11); 19. Tony Rost (17); 20. Calvin Landis (16); 21. Tyler Groenendyk (23); 22. Scott Bogucki (10); 23. Justin Henderson (4); 24. Wayne Johnson (24). Lap Leader: Reutzel 1-18. Hard-charger: Giles.
Pro Series Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 17, Matt Allen, Norwalk, IA (10), 18.076; 2. 24, Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, IA (1), 18.343; 3. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (7), 18.394; 4. 14J, Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA (4), 18.552; 5. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (9), 18.555; 6. 8J, AJ Johnson, Oskaloosa, IA (3), 18.601; 7. 88, J Kinder, Iberia, MO (6), 18.718; 8. 2, Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur, IA (8), 18.743; 9. 26, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (12), 18.812; 10. 41, Jeff Wilke, Knoxville, IA (5), 19.023; 11. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Papillion, NE (15), 19.033; 12. 02S, Josh Jones, Knoxville, IA (14), 19.128; 13. 55, Toby Mosher, Osceola, IA (2), 19.205; 14. 3TJ, Joel Thorpe, Urbandale, IA (13), 19.337; 15. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (11), 19.577; 16. 8, William Kline, Knoxville, IA (16), 20.733
Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:51.9: 1. Matthew Stelzer (1); 2. Brandon Worthington (4); 3. Chase Young (2); 4. J Kinder (3); 5. Mike Mayberry (5); 6. Ryan Navratil (8); 7. Matt Allen (6); 8. Toby Mosher (7)
Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:54.2: 1. Jeff Wilke (2); 2. Kade Higday (6); 3. AJ Johnson (4); 4. Casey Friedrichsen (3); 5. Mike Johnston (5); 6. Josh Jones (1); 7. Joel Thorpe (7); 8. William Kline (8)
A main (started), 15 Laps, 4:50.0: 1. Kade Higday (6); 2. Mike Johnston (1); 3. Matthew Stelzer (8); 4. Mike Mayberry (4); 5. Matt Allen (2); 6. Brandon Worthington (5); 7. Casey Friedrichsen (11); 8. Ryan Navratil (13); 9. AJ Johnson (3); 10. Josh Jones (12); 11. Jeff Wilke (7); 12. Chase Young (10); 13. Toby Mosher (15); 14. Joel Thorpe (14); 15. William Kline (16); 16. J Kinder (9). Lap Leaders: Johnston 1-8, Higday 9-15. Hard-charger: Higday.